Hunter’s Biggest Threat: Fighting Amongst Ourselves
When we hunters think about the biggest threats to our outdoor heritage, what are the first things that always come to mind?: PETA, HSUS, the declining number of youth hunters, destruction of habitat.
I think those are a few of the threats all of us think of when it comes to what could possibly cause the end of our outdoor past-times. And while these are all excellent answers, and definitely require some attention from all of us hunters and anglers, I tend to think that the real threat to our outdoor activities comes from within.
If any of you have ever visited a hunting forum you have surely witnessed the in-fighting that takes place amongst our ranks. It isn’t hard to visit any hunting or fishing forum out there and find evidence of that. And while I’m all for civil debate, and discussion, and think that multiple sides need to be addressed on every issue, I am always appalled at the amount of close-mindedness and in-fighting that happens amongst all of our ranks: Crossbow vs. Compound Bow, Traditional Muzzleloaders vs. Inline muzzloaders. The list could go on and on.
Now don’t get me wrong, I do think that all of the topics listed above need to be discussed amongst hunters. The problem I see is the sure un-openness to any other point of view; the whole my-way-is-the-right-way discussions. I think a heated debate is a great thing, but when one person tries to push their points of view down another’s throat it becomes a whole different issue. And those types of discussions, and differences of opinion and hunting tactics, are just what I think could ultimately be the demise of hunting as we know it.
Even having said all of that, though, I would have never imagined that things could get to this point. Mike, over at Hooks and Bullets, wrote a post yesterday about something very interesting that is happening in Tennessee. Apparently a group of Bear hunters down there – who prefer gun hunting – went out of their way and actually got a petition signed that prevents bow hunting Bear in one of the state’s counties. You read that right. A group of hunters actually circulated a petition in order to prevent another group of hunters from hunting bear with a bow.
The saddest part of this whole thing is not only did this petition get circulated – and signed by fellow hunters – but it even became law. I simply cannot believe this. Remember, I’m all about debate, and I don’t agree with many other hunting methods and choices, but I would never impose my way of hunting on someone else….. ever!!! And in a nutshell this is what this is all about. This group of hunters decided they didn’t like using a bow to hunt bears, and systematically imposed their will on others. Amazing isn’t it?
With the decline in hunter numbers – 14, 575,484 in 2005, down from 16,598,505 in 1975 according to the NSSF – and the constant battles we have to fight with such groups as PETA and HSUS, don’t these particular hunters realize that we all need to ban together at a time like this in order to preserve our heritage? Don’t they realize that actions such as these – especially amongst hunters themselves – only help anti-hunting groups everywhere? I’m sure Ingrid Newkirk, the President of PETA, is just licking her chops after hearing this.
With a U.S. population of 306,020,350 (according to the U.S. Census Bureau), and us hunters only comprising a mere 20,600,000 (6.7% of the U.S. Population according to the NSSF) of that total number, I say we should be banding together for our common causes – and not going out of our way to prevent another group of hunters from hunting the way they choose.
I tend to hope this is an isolated incident and not the norm for most hunters in the U.S. I do have this fear, however, that it is not. I, for one, will never ever vote to ban any other form of hunting. I will express my opinions about the issue at hand, and stand behind my opinions, but once any form of hunting is deemed legal by public input and the local fish and game departments – whether I agree with it or not – I will always stand behind it. I think all of us hunters owe that to one another.
As Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided amongst itself cannot stand.” I think our house has already started its division!
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Arthur, if Abe lincoln said that, he was quoting from Math 12:25 I believe.
Concerning your thought though, it seems there will always be some selfish folks who will leverage their will for the benefit of the few at the direct cost of the whole. Ugly reality is we not only fight the outward enemy but those within our community as well who are selfish.
I recall reading a report of exit polls in Michigan that showed when their dove hunt ban went to the ballot, a significant number of hunters voted for the ban. The argument they put up was that they didn’t hunt them, so they didn’t mind it being banned. I was seeing red for a few days.
I don’t know if the report is online since it’s been years, but I’m sure the numbers add up if you look at the vote totals in rural counties. There’s no way that thing passed without hunter support.
excellent post – unfortunate topic and I agree with you 100%. There are things I don’t hunt, fish I won’t fish for, methods of hunting or fishing I won’t use, but I’d never stand in the way of someone else being able to do those things in the legal manner they choose.
excellant post indeed Arthur. You are so right and so was Lincoln when he said “A house divided amongst itself cannot stand.” We must all work together as a TEAM if we want to accomplish our goals.
Sigh… Frustrating indeed. One of my other favorite quotes that relates to this is, “If we do not hang together – surely we will hang separately”.
You’re right on the money with this. Sometimes I think all the antis need to do is sit back and we’ll destroy ourselves. Very sad.
It is very unfortunate to have others be so narrow minded when you work so hard for the betterment of the sport. Those small and selfish people make you feel like it was all for nothing. But the truth is that if we keep our minds open to others hunting ways, weather we agree or not, in the end the sport we love will prevail. We can not let selfish people keep us from what we love and work so hard for. We will just have to work harder to get the word out for the betterment of our sport.
I for one have no problem defending my opion. lol
Arthur, I am with you on this. I too see and hear the uncivil debates that go on in the forums about hunting with different weapons, methods and techniques. It is just a shame that they can’t use that energy against the REAL enemies of our sport.
I also think that it is ironic that the gun hunters in TN have done to the bowhunters what the bowhunters did to the crossbow hunters in many other states. Maybe everyone should start working on getting as many hunters in the woods as possible instead of out.
I can’t stand this and it really gets my blood boiling. I know first hand, since I’m one of the few guys out there who will say with a loud voice that I ENJOY HUNTING DEER WITH DOGS! There are still-hunters out there that hate the practice of dog hunting, so they want to make a LEGAL practice ILLEGAL to suit their beliefs – letting their experiences with a few rotten apples spoil the whole basket. There are many dog clubs out there who hunt ethically and with the utmost standards (the one I belong to included)!
Excellent post Arthur. I have written about this very topic several times and often maintained that hunters are their own worst enemies. The case in Tennessee is ample prove of that and by no means a single case.
The wasteful energy and effort given to squabbling on forums is the reason why I have given up visiting these places. The sad part is that we complain about the anti’s yet we’re the ones that provide them with the arguments. How sad.
-ov-
I tried to make this point the other day by commenting on the fat of the Land blog (http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2009/03/sad-record.html)He had equated the fisherman who had just caught a record wild steelhead trout to someone killing the last siberian Tiger. I was rebuked while trying to defending the trout fisherman who legally kept wild trout. they didn’t understand that by saying killing and eating these fish is wrong they were siding with PETA. we don’t need to judge our brother outdoorsman so harsely, we have animal rights activists for that. When PETA comes after the catch and release crowd who will be there to defend them? Not the guys they slammed for keeping a trophy thats for sure.
Your friendly neighborhood Envirocapitalist.